Cycle Europe: 20 Tours, 12 Countries

If you read other guides to bicycling Europe you'll find, between yawns, they are filled with very general practical information and describe routes in a long-winded narrative format, impractical for most cyclists. In addition, most focus on just one region or country. Written by Jerry Soverinsky, the owner of a Chicago-based tour company specializing in European destinations (www.cbttours.com) and former Second City comedy writer, this book differs from its predecessors by featuring (a.) detailed information for planning and riding 7- to 10-day tours in 10 countries, (b.) route descriptions in the form of precise, turn-by-turn "cue sheets" based on notable landmarks, and (c.) details for each tour, including historical overviews of regions, food and lodging accommodations to suit any budget, and up-to-date contact information. Whether you actually make it to Europe to ride or not, this highly-entertaining cycling book is well worth the read.